Means for insulating buildings and like structures



Nov 2, 1937. J. L. FINCK 2,098,138

MEANS FOR INSULATING BUILDINGS AND LIKE STRUCTURES Filed Sept. 23, 1952 \Y \\x Q Invenfir: Jsg ok .Z. Fine/Z7,

l atented Nov. 2, 3937 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR INSULATING BUILDINGS AND LIKE STRUCTURES Application September 23, 1932, Serial No. 634,604

17 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of heat insulation, and more particularly to the insulation of .building and like structures.

The total heat transfer through any structure may be considered as taking place in some or all of the following three forms (a) conduction, (b) convection and (0) radiation. The first form occurs when heat is being transferred through a solid, or through a quiescent fluid. The second occurs in a fluid, and is manifested by natural convection currents within the fluid. The third occurs in open spaces, whether those spaces be evacuated or filled with a fluid, as for example air.

This invention is concerned entirely with the last form, radiation. If one should carry out numerical calculations of the magnitude of the heat transferred by radiation at room temperature, basing the calculations on Stefan-Boltzmanns law for total radiation, and also bearing in mind that the emissivity of materials ordinarily entering into building construction, such as Wood, brick, paper, etc., may be as high as or per cent, one will find that this form of heat transfer is a very large fraction of the total heat transfer. At the present time, where a large number of air spaces are intentionally introduced into a structure, by using hollow tile, studding or a brick construction so arranged as to form air spaces, radiation becomes the chief mode of heat transfer.

I propose to reducethe amount of heat transfer by radiation through a simple and effective method, namely by utilizing the high reflecting power of metals. My method is to coat with metal the surfaces of materials which enter into the construction of buildings and the like, in order to reduce the heat transferred by radiation. It will be evident that only those walls which define the air spaces need be coated with metal.

A few practical examples of how the invention may be carried into effect are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a wall built of hollow tile illustrating one applica' tion of the invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are more or less diagrammatic views illustrating the application of the invention to a brick wall.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view showing the application of the invention to a wall space formed by a wooden studding.

Figure 5 shows another form of the invention.

Figure 6 shows another modification of the invention.

As previously indicated, in carrying this invention into effect, itis proposed to provide a rigid structure such as a building or other wall which is intended to prevent heat exchange from one zone or space to another. That is to say, it is proposed to metalize one surface of a nonmetallic sheet or wall in such a way as to utilize the high reflecting power of metal to the best advantage.

It is practical, at the present time, to spray metal on any surface such as brick, wood, paper, etc. Of course, one would naturally select a metal that is comparatively cheap, easy to work, which has a reasonably low emissivity, and which will not oxidize very readily. Tin or some alloy of tin and lead, or aluminum might suit the purpose very well. However, no restrictions need be made as to the kind of metal to be used, or to the method of applying the metal. Practically all metals will have emissivities much lower than those of building materials, and there will be material gain in using any metal. Further, one method of applying the metal may be easier than another, but however the metal is applied, whether by spraying or by pasting on metal foil, the result, as far as the reduction in heat transfer by radiation is concerned, will be the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, it will be observed from Figure 1 that the air spaces l, I of the hollow tile are defined by the surfaces 2, and these latter surfaces are to be coated with metal so as to reduce the heat transferred by radiation across these air spaces. Similarly, the surfaces 4, 4 of the air spaces 3 of Figure 2, and the surfaces 6, 6 of the air spaces 5 of Figure 3 are to be coated with metal to reduce the radiation. In a frame wall, such as is represented in Figure 4, the air spaces 1, I, are usually formed by the studs 8, lath and plaster 9 and building paper or sheathing l0. To reduce the heat transfer by radiation in this case, the several components may be coated with metal on those surfaces bordering on the air spaces 1, l, or the bordering surfaces may be coated with metal after the materials are installed in the wall.

While as shown in the drawing both faces bordering on the air spaces may be coated with metal either in the form of a spray coat or in the form of metal foil, only one such face parallel to the wall surface may be coated with metal without any great loss of the effectiveness if the reflecting power of this metal surface is high. For example, in case of aluminum foil the reflecting power may be as high as and therefore such metal on one wall reduces the transmitted radiation to a very small value.

The plaster 9 may be applied in the form of preformed sheets or slabs of plaster having the face bordering on the air space coated with a thin layer of metal as by metal foil or by a sprayed metal coating. Similarly, other sheet material, such as boards made of fibrous material, laminated or otherwise, may be coated with a thin metal coating on one face thereof and employed in the customary manner in buildings, taking care that the metal covered face borders on the air space.

If desired the lateral walls of air spaces, namely those surfaces which are disposed transversely to the wall and border on the air spaces may also be covered with a metal coating. The metal coating on these surfaces will increase the heat conductance of these lateral walls'by a negligible amount but this will be more than compensated by the reduction in the passage of radiated heat caused by the metalized surfaces. In order to minimize the conductance of these walls, these lateral or transverse surfaces may be coated with metal over the area extending say one-third from each end of the surface and leaving a portion thereof uncoated. In this way the increase in conductance of the lateral or transverse walls of the air spaces is minimized and the advantages of the metal coating are obtained This form of the invention is particularly applicable to hollow tile or the like where the expense involved in coating the heat transmitting'surfaces or the surfaces which are parallel to the wall is not substantially increased by coating abo the'adjacent portions of the lateral walls. In other forms of the invention disclosed herein the expense involved in coating the lateral walls or surfaces may not be warranted by the advantages that flow therefrom. It is understood, of course, that by far the major portion of the radiated heat flowing across the air space is transmitted or emitted by one or the other surface which is parallel to the wall. Where, however, it is possible to obtain the advantages of the metalized surface on a lateral wall of the air space without any substantial increase in expense involved such surfaces or interrupted portions thereof may also be coated. v

If desired, sheet metal foil as such may be employed ,in building construction to cover air spaces, the metal foil being in turn backed by other building materials, such as plaster, wall board, fibre board, lumber or the like.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the essential features of the invention will be fully understood, and that it also is the intent to make the claimed invention applicable generally to the cons ction of wall, partitions, ceilings, floors, roofs an like structures, or wherever air spaces are employed to reduce the transfer of heat from one zone to another.

If desired, the dry aluminum bronze for ,example may be employed during the process of manufacture of some of the above mentioned sheet materials so as to coat one face thereof. This metal is particularly applicable to such of these materials which, in the course of their manufacture, have a tacky surface. Such surface may then be sprinkled withanexcessamount of dry aluminum bronze powder, the material being then rolled down and the excess powder brushed off. This process applies particularly to asphalt coated building paper in which case the dry aluminum bronze powder is sprinkled over the asphalt coated paper while the asphalt is still tacky. After rolling the excess powder is brushed oil. The process may also be applied to such materials as plaster board or the like, and also to such other materials as fibre board and particularly to such fibre board which is coated with a water-proof layer in which case the dry aluminum bronze powder is sprinkled over the surface while the water proof coating is still tacky.

In the case of bricks and hollow tile, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the present commonly employed processes of manufacturing the same need not be at all modified and the present invention may be applied to such bricks and hollow tile after the present processes of manufacturing the same have been completed. For this purpose it is sufficient to coat such surfaces of the brick or hollow tile which are desired to be metalized with an adhesive such as asphalt or water glass or the like and then sprinkle over this adhesive coated face metal powder such as aluminum bronze or the like, to thoroughly cover the face. Then this brick or hollow tile is permitted to dry.

When such metal coated brick or hollow tile is employed in fire-proof constructions, the presence of the metalized faces against the air spaces, which minimizes the transfer of heat through the wall, greatly increases the fire-proof quality of the wall. The reason is that in case of a conflagration radiation is the principal form by which the heat is transferred across the air space, and the retardation of this heat transfer by the metallized wall delays the rise in temperature on the opposite side of the wall, and permits I escape and removal of material during the time gained. In fire-proof constructions the present invention may be applied not only to outer walls, ceilings, and roofs, but may also be applied to partitions, without adding combustible material to the wall.

In the case of asphalt coated building paper it is also possible to apply the present invention during the process of manufacture of the building paper, This is accomplished by sprinkling an excess of aluminum bronze or powder over the asphalt coated face and passing the building paper through heated calender mils; the calender rolls being heated just sufficiently to impart to the asphalt a desired degree of tackiness, thereby causing the aluminum bronze or powder to adhere to the asphalt. Lead or aluminum foil may also be pasted on to building paper by means of heated calender rolls, and such paper may serve the same purpose. 1

In the case of studded wall, ceilingorroofstructures which have an air space of three or four inches in depth or thickness, the present invention may be applied, particularly as shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing. In Figure 5 a studded air space H is shown which is formed by the studs I2. Such studs generally form air spaces of three or four inches. In the form of the invention as shown in Figure 5, the interior of the wall may be finished in any desired manner, as represented by the reference character II which may represent either any type of wall board, commonly used for this purpose, or it may represent plaster in the form of pre-formed sheets such as plasterboard or wall board or it may represent plaster formed on lath applied to the wall. The reference character I4 represents the building material, such as sheathing, which is placed on the outer face of the wall.

From the description of the invention thus far described, it will be understood that the materials represented by the reference characters I3 and I4 may bear a metalized fact or if desired building paperhaving a metal coat on one face thereof may be interposed between the building materials l3 and/or l4 and the studs so as to present a heat reflecting metal face to the air space. More specifically, however, Figure 5 discloses a form of the invention in which the air space is broken up into several air spaces each of smaller depth or thickness than theair space H in its original posed that its form. An air space of three or four inches offers no appreciably greater resistance to the transfer of heat than an air space of one inch. In the present form of the invention, therefore, means are provided for breaking up this air space into two, three or four approximately equal spaces, thereby increasing the heat resistance of the total wall several fold. More specifically, the air space is broken up by means of several layers of building paper I5 and I6 whichare disposed in the manner shown in the drawing. Moreover, in the present invention the building'paper l5 and I6 is provided with ametal coating on one or both faces thereof, thereby serving to minimize the transmission of radiated heat through any of' these air spaces. a

If paper having only one metal coated face is employed the same is so employed that each air space has at least one metal coated face. It will be understood, therefore, that if the material l3 has a metal coated face disposed toward the air space, the paper I 5 will have its metal coated face disposed away from the layer l3 and similarly the paper i6 will have its metal coated face disposed toward ll. With thisarrangeme'nt each air space will have at least one metal coated face. If desired the layers i3 and I4 may be uncoated with metal and one of the sheets, say sheet l5 will have both faces metal coated, while the other sheet, I 6, will have one face coated and sodisward l5.

It will now be understood that by the use of this form of the invention the air space is broken up into two or more air spaces and each air space is provided with at least one metalized face thereby reducing to a minimum the passage of radiated heat through the wall.

If desired the building paper l5 and I6 employed in the manner shown in Figure 5 may be metalized only on the portions thereof which are disposed approximately parallel to the wall, the portions l8 and i9 thereof remaining unmetallzed.

It will be understood also that in lieu of metalized paper l5, l6, sheets of metal foil may be employed.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 6, one or more blankets of insulating material may be employed for the general purpose of breaking up the'air space into two or more air spaces, the blanket being nailed to the studs I! as shown at 2|. In order to take full advantage of the present invention theblanket 20 is provided on one or both faces thereof with a layer of metal foil or with a layer of metalized paper.

The present application is a continuation as to common subject matter of the copending patent numbered 1,883,774, granted October 18, 1932, on an application filed February 1, 1928.

I claim:

1. A wall structure containing one or more air spaces, the pressure within said air spaces being approximately equal to atmospheric, said wall having plaster board covering the air spaces, said plaster board having a thin metal coating on its surface bordering the air spaces to minimize the unmetalized face is disposed to-' transfer of heat through said air spaces by radiation.

2. A wall structure containing one or more air spaces, the pressure within said air spaces being approximately equal to atmospheric, said wall having plaster board covering the air spaces, said plaster board carrying a coating of metal foil on its surface bordering the air spaces to minimze the transfer of heat through said air spaces by radiation.

3. A wall structure comprising studding and building materials attached theretoand having one or more air spaces, the pressure within said air spaces being approximately equal to atmospheric, some of said facing elements comprising fabricated rigid non-metallic sheeted building material and a thin coating carried by at least one surface thereof exposed to said air spaces and parallel to the wall, saidcoating having the property of minimizing the passage of rad'ated heat through said air space.

4. A wall structure comprising studding and facing elements and having one or more air spaces and means disposed within said air spaces and attached to said studding, said means partitioning the air space into two or more air spaces, said means also comprising flexible sheeted nonmetallic material having a thin metal coating on at least one face thereof parallel to the wall.

5. A building wall construction comprising spaced supporting members and facing elements aflixed to said members to form air spaces within said wall, some of said facing elements consisting of building boards having their faces disposed against the air spaces coated with metal foil.

6. A building wall construction comprising spaced supporting members and facing elements amxed to said members to form air spaces within said wall, some of said facing elements consisting of building boards having their faces disposed against the air spaces coated with a relatively thin layer of metal.

7. A building wall construction comprising spaced supporting members and facing elements affixed to said members to form air spaces within said wall, some of said facing elements consisting of plaster boards having their faces disposed against the air spaces coated with metal foil.

8. A building wall construction comprising spaced supporting members and facing elements aflixed to said members to form air spaces within "said wall, some of said facing elements consisting of 'plaster boards having their faces disposed against the air spaces thin layer of metal.

9. A wall structure comprising studding, facing. elements attached to said studding and coated with a relatively forming air spaces interiorly of the wall and blanket insulating material disposed within said air space, said blanket having a metal coating on a face thereof exposed to said air space to miniof radiated heat through said minimize the passage of radiated heat through said air space.

11. A wall structure comprising studding, facing elements attached tosaid studding and forming air spaces interiorly of the wall, and building 13. As a new article of manufacture, building paperhavingonatleastonefaceaparhofa width approximately equal to the customary spacing between studs in frame wall construction, coated with almninum foil and having uncoated portionsoneachsideofsaidcoatedpartforattschment'to saidstuds.

14.Asanewariicleofmanufactureatabricated flexible blanket insulating mate ial having onatleastonesidethereofalayerofpapercoated with aluminum foil on its exposed face.

llabuildingmaterialforwallshavingone or more air spaces, said material comprising heat insulating materialin sheet form andhaving a thin metal coating on the face thereof adapted to be disposed toward said air spaces to minimise the passage of'radiated heat through said air spaces.

16. A building paper for walls having one or more air spaces, said building paper having the face thereof adapted to be disposed toward said air spaces coated witha thin layer of metal to minimize the e o! radiated heat through said air spaces.- 7

17. A building paperfor walls having one or more air spaces, said building paper having the face thereof adapted to be disposed toward said airspacescoatedwithm'etalfoiltominimizethe passage of radiated heat through said air spaces.

JOSEPH L. FINCK. 

